People reacted with outrage to the decorations, accusing the homeowner of being racistTwitter / @_Quisqueyano

A homeowner has caused outrage after displaying Halloween effigies of what appears to be a lynched black family.

The display consisted of three black puppets hanging from a tree and a fourth child-size figure, stabbed in the back, holding onto the legs of one of the hanging effigies.

One of the figures is wearing a sign around the neck.

The incident occurred at the Fort Campbell military base, between Tennessee and Kentucky, where shocked residents urged Tou Vue, the homeowener, to remove the decorations.

Neighbours also took pictures and posted them on social media, with some accusing Vue of being racist.

Vue said that he and his family, who had just moved in the neighbourhood, did not intend to offend anyone and have now taken down the display.

Rayna Holley, a Fort Campbell spokeswoman, said in a statement: "The Fort Campbell leadership remains committed to maintaining a community that reflects our Army values and a family-friendly environment for Fort Campbell employees and residents and is reminding residents to ensure that all outdoor displays are consistent with these standards."

Another spokeswoman, Brendalyn Carpenter told the Army Times: "While there was no discussion with investigators of the particular theme it represented, this particular decoration exceeded our community standards."